Shawn Hunter: Jedi Padawan
by Wonder777
Summary: Jedi Master Jonathan Turner is on Naboo visiting an old friend while finding a Force Sensitive Grandmaster Feeny detected. Set in the old Expanded Universe, now rebranded "Legends". Basically, John Adams High is Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Academy. Focused mostly on the BMW characters. Part one of the "Boy Meeets The Force" series


_**"Boy Meets The Force"**_

 _ **Shawn Hunter: Jedi Padawan**_

Jonathan Turner walks down the paved streets of Naboo dressed in the robes of a Jedi Master. It was good to finally have some time off, but not quite. He was told to enjoy himself, while at the same time be on the lookout for a potential student. So now it became a working vacation, and he didn't like that.

Reaching out with the Force, he couldn't really find anything. Pausing at a certain old signpost, he turns onto a side street, leading him towards the more lower class part of the city. It was about dark when he gets to his destination. A small, domed house with little homemade knicknacks outside for decoration. Jonathan smiles and pushes the buzzer.

The door soon opens and there was his old friend, one who saw the rise and fall of the Empire and fought alongside the Rebels. He would run supplies and even took surviving Jedi to planet to planet to keep one step ahead of the Empire solders. Gellert Malent was now an old man, but was always fond of Jonathan.

"Good to see you Master Turner, it's been a long while. What brings you all the way here to this part of the galaxy?" He motions Jonathan to sit on the couch and spins in his hoverchair towards the small kitchen. "Just got some aged Tatooine whiskey in yesterday. It's really good."

Jonathan takes up the offer and has just a little bit. Gellert was once a smuggler for the Rebels and after the Empire fell, retired to run a successful cantina here in Naboo's capital. But he was also a good man, using whatever money he had to try and help those who truly needed it. Under that gruff exterior, he truly had a heart of gold.

"Actually, I am looking for a Force Sensitive. My master sent me to find him or her." Jonathan says, sipping the drink, "You always have had your ear to the ground. Have you heard, seen anything?" He knew his friend had a knack for finding special things in people.

"Nope. Not a thing." Gellert tells him, "Sometimes though I get that feeling...when someone walks in and you know they're trouble. But that's from years of experience, who knows? Maybe I could have been a Jedi if I was younger." He gives a small chuckle.

"How about escorting me to the Cantina tonight? I've had a whole lot of renovation done since the last time you were here. Got a band booked most nights now. The place is finally getting some notice around here." Jonathan takes him up on the offer and off they go.

The place was just about to start up when they arrived, Gellert unlocks the front doors, showing the place was open for business. Jonathan was in awe, amazed at all the work that had been done since his last visit. It seemed more inviting, less dark and felt relaxing as they entered. It had a truly had a more festive atmosphere. Even the neon sign was replaced.

Gellert glides his chair behind the counter, helping the bartender with preparing the drinks. The band was warming up and fine tuning their huge instruments, getting ready for a performance. They were a group of aliens from some planet on the Outer Rim by what Jonathan could tell, they had big heads with a ridge right down the middle of their foreheads.

Jonathan had ordered a tea and was enjoying the music when sees a boy, about twelve or thirteen, comes out from the back and starts to take orders for food. He was skinny, dressed in clean but worn out clothes. Reaching with the Force, he felt something was different with this one. Could he be the one Grandmaster Feeny was referring to?

"Hey, who's the kid?" he asks Gellert, "Isn't he a little young to be working in here?" Jonathan asks as he watches the boy wipe down tables with a damp cloth, then goes back into the kitchen.

"Oh, that's a local named Shawn Hunter. Poor kid, his dad up and left him and his mother. She's sick, and in exchange for helping me, I get medicine for her, he works here a few nights a week. Don't worry, he just cleans and takes orders for food. I am fully legit here." Gellert tells him, "I don't have the heart to tell him her condition is fatal. Seen it before. Took my wife almost fifteen years ago."

Then later on, a bunch of Wookies that had been drinking a little too much got rowdy, their growls becoming loud enough to drown out the band. Gellert tries to cut them off, but gets knocked out of his chair to the floor by one of them. He was shook up, but okay. Jonathan draws out his lightsaber and turns it on, a soft hum following the purple glow illuminating his face.

"Please don't make me use this. It wouldn't do you any good if I have to." he tells them, "Now go, you're now banned, out of here for good." They stagger towards him, seemingly not hearing a word he said in their drunken state.

Shawn had was about ready to bring out some food orders when he heard all the commotion in the main area. Dropping what he was doing, he runs out to see his boss on the floor, a man with what looked like a purple sword in his hands between him and the troublemakers. Concern fills him and he runs towards them, nobody hurts his boss and friend.

Stretching out his hand, he felt something course through him and flowing out of him. The next thing he knew, the troublemakers were on the ground unconscious. Three fully grown Wookies lay there. For a moment, he's frozen in place, shocked by what just happened. Then Shawn turns and runs out of the place, scared at what he just did.

Feeny was right, Jonathan thinks seeing the boy run past him, this must be the one I was sent to look out for. Now I've got to find him. By what I could tell he was terrified. After making sure his friend was okay, helping him back into the hoverchair. "Tell Shawn he can take the rest of the night off, he must be scared by what happened. He was always loyal to me. Here's his pay and medicine." Gellert hands him a pouch and some money. "See to it he gets home safely."

With the rowdy party boys handed over to the security guard by the door, Jonathan went on his search. With the Force, it was pretty easy to get a bead on the kid. He wasn't too far away, so it wouldn't be a problem.

Shawn sat on a roof of an abandoned apartment, not far from the cantina, trying to wrap his head around what just happened. He knew that man was a Jedi, about to get attacked. Then running towards the scene, the next thing he knew, a rush flowed out of his hands and the Wookies were laying there, flat on their faces. At least that's how he could best put it into words.

His mother told him about the Jedi growing up, how one of their own turned bad and slaughtered almost all of them with the help of the Empire. She called it the "Great Purge". Told him about the Force and how there were those who could control it. _Could I be one of those with that ability?_

Shawn thought about it for a moment, thinking about all those times he had that gut feeling about something and turned out to be right. Those times whenever he was in a fight, he was able to read his enemy's next action and take advantage of it. That was why he rarely lost a scuffle.

Jonathan followed the Force right to the building where the kid was. Looking up, he sees a small figure up on top. _Two stories, this will be a cake walk. Who needs the stairs?_ He uses his Jedi abilities to jump up onto the roof without making a sound. He could have used the outside staircase, but thought this was more dramatic.

"Hey kid," he says, standing right behind Shawn, "I saw you run off. Don't worry, I'm Gellert's friend, he's going to be okay. He sent me to see if you were all right. That was a real number you did on those rowdy Wookies back there." The boy was startled at the man up there with him, in his robes and all. Nervously, he flinched.

"I saw you out there earlier." Shawn stutters, "I really didn't mean to do it. I heard all the commotion and came out to see." Jonathan nods. "I know you meant well, how about I get you back home? Gellert said you can get off early and here's your night's pay with the medicine for your mom." He pulls out some money and a bundle of what looked like leaves of some sort in a bag. They were orange and had a scent of sweet flowers.

On their way back, the two talked. Shawn explained how he had to care for his mom after she got sick and Dad leaving them. His best friends had left just the month before for some school on a far away planet, leaving him all alone. Jonathan tells of slightly exaggerated tales of being a Jedi and how Gellert was a dear friend of his.

They come upon Shawn's house, typical for a lower middle class family in their part of town. Not much different from Gellert's place. There were all kinds of makeshift sculptures made of junk all around the place, beside the front door almost every house where he lived. Jonathan was impressed at how simple they were while struggling to survive. The house was small, cluttered but clean.

"Mom, I'm back. We have a visitor." Shawn calls out and sees his mother lying on the couch, clearly tired out. He bends over and gives her a kiss on the cheek, "I have your medicine. Give me a few minutes to get it ready for you to take." He then heads to the small kitchen to prepare the mixture.

Jonathan sees the frail woman lying there. She had a face mask on that was connected to a tube from what looked like some kind of homemade vaporizer device. It was small enough so it could be latched onto a belt if one wished. He could feel her dying, his friend was right.

This was the end stages of a infection that attack the lungs, the end often coming suddenly. What the boy was preparing helps ease the breathing, even cure it if this condition was caught in the early stages. But at this point, the medicine would only help ease the breathing.

Shawn comes back and pours the orange mixture into a clear glass container, then switches it with the one beside the couch. Finally, he changes the tubes so he could wash them out for later use. "You're home early. What happened?" His mother asks.

"There was trouble with some rowdy customers and Gellert felt I needed to be sent home early. Mom, this is Jonathan Turner, he's a Jedi. Just like in the stories you always told me." Her eyes widened, like she knew somehow.

"Hello there. I'm Virna Hunter." She weakly lifts her hand and shakes it, then sits up. "Never thought I see a Jedi again in my life. Sometimes I hear rumors, it seems that they are coming out of hiding. Shawn, how about setting up the table? I know you hadn't eaten. There's some fresh stew I made earlier in the fridge."

"It was a good day, so I took advantage of having the extra energy." Soon, the three were talking and eating. Virna was feeling better and the atmosphere changed to something more cheerful. Shawn then had to go to bed for school the next day after homework.

When he was asleep, Jonathan and Virna spoke in low tones. "Shawn doesn't know about my parents being Jedi. They had married in secret just months before the Purge and jumped from planet to planet until they settled here on Naboo. Disguising themselves as local merchants, they avoided the Empire and had me. I had some training growing up, but they died just before I turned 23. Then I meet a scrap dealer and marry him, and you can see, Shawn is our only child."

Jonathan listens to her story, the Force telling him it was the truth. She shows him pictures of her parents, light sabers held up in front of them, lit with green and blue. "My parents were good people. Wish they didn't have to hide who they were." Virna starts to wheeze, holding the mask up to her nose and taking a deep breath.

"When my time comes, take my Shawn and train him. He's got a gift and it's time he needs to start learning how to use it. He is very special." The coughing gets worse to where Shawn wakes up. Running to his mother's side on the couch, he begins to panic. "Mom, you all right?" He checks everything finding it all connected properly.

Jonathan gets a glass of water and after a few sips Virna's coughing eases, that was all she needed and that calms Shawn down greatly. Then he goes back to bed. The Jedi Master sees the concern on the boy's face. _No child should have to be working like this because of a sick parent. They should be out having fun, hanging with friends, just being a kid._

The next day she takes a turn for the worse. This was the end for Virna Hunter, barely able to move, the medicine was having no effect. With her last words, she tells Shawn how much she loves him and to go with the Jedi Master. "He can be trusted, so you better do as he says. Make me proud."

She also tells him to take the box hidden under the floor of the small pantry. "It will tell you everything in time. I love you." Then she closes her eyes and passes away quietly with a slight smile on her face. It was just after sunset, fitting for someone who was the light of Shawn's life.

She was buried in a nearby cemetery the next day, a simple marker indicating where she lay. Shawn stood there, very little emotion showing. He could take some comfort in that his mother was now free from her suffering. The minister finishes the brief service, gives his condolences and leaves them alone at the site. Jonathan places a hand on his shoulder as a show of support for the boy.

"I don't know how to bring this up but your mother asked me to take you back with me to a school for others like you. Gifted with being able to use the Force." He always preferred to say it flat out. "Better there than drifting around here taking orders and cleaning tables."

The boy looked up to him and and took Jonathan up on the offer. _It would be great to see the galaxy. Get away from this planet. There's nothing left for me here anyway. No mom or best friends. My father's out there somewhere finding junk to sell for scrap_. Shawn thinks standing there, then with one last goodbye to his mother, they turn and leave.

That evening, while Shawn packs up, Jonathan contacts Grandmaster Feeny on the main communications channel. "I found our Force sensitive. A kid, age thirteen, his name's Shawn Hunter. His mom just died and I'm bringing him back with me at her request. If the weather is good, we'll be back tomorrow." The transmission was a little garbled due to incoming storms in the area.

"Good, you've done well Master Turner." the grandmaster says, "I'm sorry about his loss. I hope to see you back here safe and sound soon." The hologram shuts off and Jonathan goes inside to help Shawn pack.

There wasn't much to take. Just what few clothes he had and mementos, including the box that was hidden Mom told him about. Of course he couldn't forget that. Everything else was going to be given to anyone who needed it. Shawn couldn't sleep much with everything that had just happened still fresh on his mind.

Gellert met up with them at the spaceport just before leaving the next day. "Shawn, I'll make sure everything on this end will be taken care of. Promise me this, behave yourself and listen to Master Turner." He then takes out of his pocket a big roll of money and hands it to him. "Use this to get some new clothes, what you already have is just about gone." A wide smile crosses his face. "I'm proud of you. Jonathan, he's a hard worker when given the right motivation."

It was going to be a while before Jonathan and Shawn would be able to leave due to the storms in the area. So during that time they go shopping and grabbed a bite to eat. It was also clear to the Jedi Master that this kid never really had nice clothes when it came to shopping.

"Mom always went to the secondhand stores, only my underwear and socks were new." Shawn tells him, feeling like someone else after his shopping spree. "It was all we could afford after Dad left."

Over lunch, Shawn was curious about the the life of a Jedi. Training, what it's like going all over the universe, keeping peace, the life. Jonathan answers the best he could. "It's hard work with all the training and learning, but teaching was always my kind of thing."

They were wrapping up lunch when the announcement came over the intercom that it was all clear for flights to resume. Shawn's eyes grew as he saw Jonathan's ship, a small gray one, lined in a dark blue. "This is my little baby, the _Aveline._ Named her after my mother. Let's get inside."

Once in, the kid's jaw dropped. "Does this have hyperdrive? Because that would be awesome." He runs a hand over the leather seats, in awe of all the bells and whistles. After securing the trunk and bag, Jonathan gets in the pilot's seat with Shawn beside him and the two buckle up.

Soon they were off into space, Shawn still in awe at all the stars they were flying by. _Mom would have loved this, wish she was here with me. Seeing this in person is way better than watching the screens._ I had only heard the stories from all the patrons in the cantina.

He grasped the worn leather strap around his neck that had a ring his mom gave him on it, nervously running his fingers across it. It was his charm, a talisman that was a piece of his family. Soon, he was sound asleep in his seat, a brief escape from his grieving.

Jonathan glances over at the kid. The trip wouldn't take long, about four hours. It would be just after dinner at the Academy by the time they get there. When Yavin 4 was in sight, he wakes up Shawn. "Hey kid wake up, we're about to touch down in about twenty minutes."

Shawn yawns and stretches, then sees the planet they were getting closer to. The sight left him in awe, all the green with an smattering of blue. "That's where it is? Wow." Jonathan nods. "Yup, that's where the New Jedi Academy is located. Grandmaster Skywalker wanted to set up a place away from Coruscant to start over. Yavin 4 is a beautiful place as you will soon see."

He turns on the communication channels, requesting permission to bring the ship down. "You are cleared to land Master Turner." A voice on the other end tells him, "It's good to have you back." He brings the ship down with a slight bump, jolting Shawn a little.

Once they disembark, two men were standing on the platform. One was an older, silver haired man with a mustache. The other was younger and blonde haired. Both were dressed in robes similar to what Jonathan wore. The Jedi Master bows to them in respect and Shawn follows his lead.

"So this must be our new student." he says, the accent in his voice made Shawn think he very cultured. "It is very nice to finally meet you at last. I am Jedi Grandmaster George Feeny and this is Grandmaster Luke Skywalker, the founder of this school."

The older man motions to his friend. Luke looks Shawn up and down, the boy didn't like that at all. It gave him a creepy feeling, like he was like a piece of meat being inspected or something. "Welcome to the school." Luke gives him a warm smile, and extends his hand to Shawn. Shaking it, immediately he could tell this was a robotic hand. It was creepy, he had never felt something like this before. He nervously looks around.

"Let's get inside, sometimes it gets cold out here at night." Feeny says, feeling a wind coming from the east. The four of them go inside, Shawn was amazed at every little thing. There were a few students hanging out in the auditorium, practicing their skills and some just hanging out having fun. Most of them were human, but there were a few aliens around, many of which he had never seen.

Cory Matthews sits on his bed, reading a book about the history of the Republic. It had been a month since him and his girlfriend Topanga had come here. Both were adjusting well to the school and had many of the same classes. He had been so busy he almost forgot about his best friend back home.

His roommate Jacen Solo comes in, fresh from the kitchens getting scraps for some of the creatures he kept in cases on a shelf on his side of the room. "Hey, Master Turner's back. And he's brought a new kid here, I saw my uncle with them. Oh, and Jaina fixed this for you. All it needed was a spring replaced." He hands Cory a music box from home that had been broken. That was going to be a birthday present for Topanga.

"You will be sharing a room with two other boys." Luke says, while leading the way to the student dorms. They were on the far side of the school, near the back. I'm sure you will enjoy them." Grandmaster Feeny had to leave so he could have his meditation time in his office. Often it involved reading and a hot cup of tea.

They stop at a room, Luke knocks and it slides open. "Cory, this is your new roommate. This is Shawn Hunter." Cory's eyes grew seeing his best friend standing there with the Jedi Grandmaster and Master Turner. He jumps off the bed and runs straight to his friend, giving him a big hug.

"Shawn, I'm so glad to see you again, and here of all places! It's been so busy here I haven't had a chance to send you a message." Shawn was just as excited, he felt like without Cory, his life was empty. Grandmaster Luke asks how they knew each other. "Shawn and I were friends back home on Naboo." Cory explains, "Best friends anyone could have."

Jonathan rolled Shawn's trunk into the room. "We should let you two play catch up. Hunter, we start tomorrow. I'll see you have the class schedule before the night is out." Then him and Luke take their leave. Cory was just so excited, his best friend was here.

"Before I forget, this is Jacen Solo. Him and his twin sister Jaina are students here and they are Grandmaster Luke's niece and nephew." Cory introduces Shawn to the third boy in the room, who had his hands full at the moment. "He's got a collection of intersting creatures."

"Hi, I was just telling Cory about a new kid arriving." he says, putting the containers of scraps on his bed and introduces himself, shaking Shawn's hand. "He's told me about you. But don't think my Uncle Luke runs the place he goes easy on me and my sister." He gives a smile.

"Yeah, Cory and I were friends back home on Naboo. I knew him and Topanga had went off planet but this I couldn't even imagine." Shawn grins from ear to ear, looking around at the room. It was the first time he had really been happy since his mom had died and that was just in the last two days.

Later, Jonathan and George were sitting in the Grandmaster's personal quarters, enjoying some tea and talking about the new student. "Shawn's maternal grandparents were Jedi, his father's a scrap dealer. I tell you, Shawn gave a Force push I had never seen for a starter."

"By what you're telling me, our Mr. Hunter knows more than we know right now." George takes a drink of his favorite tea, a blend developed on Coruscant. Sweet with a hint of citrus mixed in. Of course, he added a dash of something extra for a bite. "Only time will tell, Jonathan. We will know in time how well if he can handle it here. Now that his mother is no longer with us, you are now responsible for him."

Jonathan shakes his head. "I don't know. His mom told me she never told him about her parents being Jedi. Told him legends and all, she was a Force sensitive herself too. But she also knew he was gifted."

The older man glances over, surprised at what was just said. "Maybe if we learned who his grandparents were, there may well be some answers." Feeny tells him, taking off his glasses and wiping the lenses with a soft gray cloth.

He was tired after a full day of having to put up with some pranksters in his History class. They had put a cushion in his chair, one that would make an embarassing noise when he unknowingly sat down on it. He did kind of liked it though, took him back to when he was their age.

The Jedi Master smiles, "Before I forget, I got a little something for you." Then he reaches down into a small bag beside him and pulls out a big tin of Feeny's favorite type of tea. Along with a huge box of sugar cookies, something his former teacher and Master always indulged every now and again. Every time Jonathan would go off on an trip, he tries to bring a little something back.

Jonathan had been George's secret Padawan when they were hiding from the Empire. Taught him everything he knew about the Jedi ways and when Vader and the Empire fell, they came out of exile. When Luke Skywalker was seeking surviving Jedi to help him start up the New Jedi Academy, they graciously took the offer.

"How's your mom? Is she doing okay?" Cory asks Shawn while helping him getting unpacked. "No. She just died, a lung infection took her. I worked for Mr. Gellert at his cantina to get the medicine needed to help, but it wasn't enough to save her. That two days ago."

He turns away so his friend couldn't see the tears in his eyes. "So, where's Topanga? Isn't she here with you too?" Shawn quickly changes the topic.

Cory was surprised, he had remembered learning of her being sick when him and Topanga left. He really liked Shawn's mom and she made some of the best cookies he ever had. "I'm sorry to hear that. But how did you end up here?" Shawn then tells him of Gellert and Master Turner being friends and about the incident at the cantina where he used the Force to stop some rowdy customers.

Shawn changed the subject and just before lights out, Jonathan comes back in. "Here's the schedule. Wake up is at six am, breakfast at seven and classes start at eight fifteen. We're working on getting your school transcript from Naboo." He hands over a paper with the times and everything.

Taking it from him and with one glance groans. " _Galactic History, Math, Science, Space literature?_ What are they trying to do here? Bore me to death?" Shawn makes a face. "Where's the classes on how to actually use the Force? Light sabers and how to kick butt? Why this mess?"

Cory tells him that they do have those classes, but in the afternoon. "They try and make the mornings are like regular school. At least for the first eight months or so. Then the Masters begin to consider choosing Padawans." Shawn gives him a confused look.

He sees confusion in his friend. Then Jacen chimes in. "Padawans are students chosen by Masters to mentor, one on one specialized training you can say. Sometimes, they are allowed to have more than one. Just like the Old Jedi Order used to do it. Here, read this." He reaches over to the night stand next to his bed and pulls out a handbook.

Jonathan could see the look in Shawn's eyes. _This one is definitely going to be a handful. I remember being like that at thirteen. All the times I caused trouble, this kid may take the cake in that department._ "Lights out in five boys." Then he takes his leave.

Laying on the soft bed, he drifts off deep in his thoughts. _This should be fun, outside of having those annoying classes in the morning. Maybe I can turn this place upside down now that I have my best friend back._ He pulls out the strap holding the ring, one of the few connections to his mother, caressing it.

Shawn went to sleep that night a little more at ease. He was back together with his best friend, made a new one, and now at a new school. _Mom, I'll make you proud, this is all for you. I'll be the best Jedi the universe has ever seen..._


End file.
